Liam's successor is a girl
by icekitty222
Summary: Shia is the new Shang Dragon and has returned to Tortal! ideas welcome for a new title Disclaimer: everythign you reconize as Tamora Peirce's is and i don't own it. ending has been fixed
1. Chapter 1

**I am a multitasker. i screw up several things at once. so this won't be updated as often as my other two stories, but enjoy and review! then go look up the song 'what hurts the most' by Cascada because it is one of my favorite songs**

"_Glad to be home?"_

"_I don't know if this even is my home any more."_

The herald banged his staff and announced, "The Shang Dragon!"

Dead silence fell over the court. King Jonathan felt his breath hitch. Someone had reclaimed the title 'Dragon' after Liam had died. But there were two more shocks in store. The first being that when the Dragon came through the doors, everyone realized that the Dragon was a girl.

She was rather young, about 18 or 19. Her hair was so dark brown it was almost black and was cut to her shoulders. Her walk was even and she moved with pure grace. She was slender, less muscle then expected on the best fighter. She had good looks, but her eyes drew most of the attention. They were blue and it looked as though there were flames in them.

The third shock was that her twin sister was engaged to Thom of Pirate's Swoop. Thayet had to give Shia full marks. For someone who had been disowned after she ran off at five, Shia had done very well for herself.

The Shang Tiger had arrived last week. Shia had shown up that day with the Wyvern in tow just after sun up and had 'warmed-up' with her old master. Drake was in a bad mood when he had to teach the pages that day and was still a bit sore, despite the healing he'd had afterwards.

After being greeted and all the formalities were over, Shia got to meet pretty much everyone of interest, and a few that bored her to death. She said hello to her sister, then had a nice conversation with Alanna, George, Thayet, Jon, Raoul, Buri, and Gary. All had known the previous Dragon and seemed to want to know this one. Alanna agreed to spar with her the next day, then hauled her off to meet Kel.

After Shia had talked with everyone of interest, she started to get restless. It was hard for her to remain still for a long time, after more then ten years of stretching, fighting, and moving every waking moment. It was hard for her to make polite conversation anyways. The Wyvern, Kruse, stayed with her to make sure she didn't start a blood feud and to keep her from screaming with boredom.

There was dinner afterwards and Shia decided that if she was going to have to attend dinner like this the whole time she was here, she would starve.

"Shia, I know you are picky about what you eat, but just try it," Kruse sighed. He was her dinner partner, and Alanna and George were seated with them.

"Old man, what is this even? Tail?" Shia asked.

"Eel. And I. Am. Not. Old."

"You're 35. That's old." Alanna and George hid smiles.

Kruse rolled his eyes. "Just eat."

George decided to intervene. "You two know each other well?"

"Yeah," answered Shia, still pushing around her food. "When I went to the Shang, Drake was my first teacher, then three years ago, when I could have become acknowledged I wanted to go for immortal status, so the old man agreed to teach me." Her eyes fixed on Alanna. "I was planning on going straight to the Copper Isles then work my way back, but I decided to come here when I heard you were in the court. You're even famous with the Shang."

"Thank you," said Alanna, surprised. "I think."

"Yes," said Kruse dryly as Shia nibbled at the food. "That's the closest to a compliment she can give."

"Why did you want to go to the Copper Isles?" asked Alanna.

Shia shrugged. "I want to learn the different fighting styles. And even if I'm the best in Shang, that doesn't mean I'm best of the best. You could have joined Shang and done well, but you didn't. And you could probably teach me a few things the old man didn't."

"Smart," applauded George. "We actually just got back from there for the coordination of the new queen."

"Hmm." The second course came, and as it was recognizable as pork Shia ate it. The conversation went to other topics and Alanna was pleased that this girl was the Dragon. She was a good successor to Liam.

As soon as se could, Shia fled and went to her room. There she stretched again, got undressed, climbed into bed, and fell asleep. She felt content that she had come.

The next morning Shia was up before dawn. She arrived on the practice courts a few minutes after her teachers.

"You're late," said Drake.

"Got lost. Damn, this place is big."

Evidently they had picked a popular area because they were joined by several others, mainly knights. Alanna showed up, so she and Shia grabbed practice swords and spared. They both worked up a sweat, but finally Shia won.

"Youth and skill beats age and treachery," laughed Kel.

"Do you want to go?" asked Alanna. Kel quickly backed off.

After breakfast Shia went back outside. Kel caught up with her and they talked for a bit.

"What's your best weapon?" asked Shia.

"Either a glaive or a lance," answered Kel.

"And I know neither. Can you teach me?" asked Shia.

"We'll need to get you a charger if we're going to joust, but I can teach you about the glaive."

"Here." It was handed to her by Neal who had arrived with Dom and Yuki. "We figured you might need it."

"Wow," said Shia. Kel handed her prize weapon to the younger girl. Yuki had her own glaive,

"Here," said Yuki. "Kel and I can teach you how to use it."

Neal and Dom settled themselves on the other side of the fence during the lesson. Shia was a quick learner and it wasn't hard to see how she had earned the title of Dragon.

"Incredible," murmured Dom. "I don't think even you Meathead could be stupid enough to make enemies with her."

"No, but you might be able to," answered Neal. "I don't think she has the Lioness's temper."

"Which you know all about."

Neal shuddered, remembering having Alanna as his knight-master. "Oh yes. How old do you think she is?"

"Hmm. Good question. Shia!" called Dom. She looked at him. "How old are you?"

"18," Shia answered. The four stared at her. "What?"

"You- you're, 18!?" demanded Kel, her mask slipping.

"Yeah. What?"

They all just shook their heads. How could she be that good, that young, and yet so dense?


	2. Chapter 2

**hehe, i like my Dragon. pls R&R**

"Okay everyone," Drake said. "Five minute break and possibly the chance of all of you getting to watch me get pounded," he told the pages. There was some laughter at that. Drake went over to Shia who had been sitting on the fence watching him instruct the pages for about half an hour.

"Is something wrong?" he asked her.

"Want to spar?"

"No. But c'mon and don't kill me."

"Thank you!" Shia followed the Tiger to a clear area and people gave them space, but watched intently.

After being knocked twice into the dirt, Drake called a halt.

"Now, as your punishment, you get to train the little pages. I am going take inventory of bruises." Drake hobbled over to the fence as the pages assembled.

"What do I teach them?" asked Shia. They looked like little ducklings or something.

"What you learned first. We just got done with how to fall, work on actually falling."

Shia studied the ducklings. They looked too old to be only be on falling but whatever. "Everyone, form a line."

The first in line was a girl and Shia beckoned to her. The girl came forward. Shia stood behind her, gripped her upper arms, and threw the girl about 5 feet. The girl landed without hurting herself, but the rest in line turned pale.

"Next."

Shia went through the line twice before deciding that was enough flying. "Now, we're going to pretend that you aren't facing someone strong enough to kick you hard enough so you go flying. Girl, what's your name?"

"My name's Tarra, Dragon," the girl stammered.

"Tarra, come here." The girl didn't look happy about it, but she obeyed. This time Shia stood next to them and knocked their feet out from under them. She went through the line three times before calling a halt.

"You, you, you, and you. Come here. The rest of you go do 50 sit ups, 50 push ups, then let me know when you're finished."

There was a groan and Shia grinned. She remembered that. With the four she picked she had continue to work on falling. When she was about to start throwing them again after reminding them how to fall, Tarra showed up, followed by the only other girl in the class.

"Go run two laps around the inside of the fence, and then go poke Drake for me. Run." The girls obeyed and Shia called to the boys, "You're slow! The two girls are already done with the push-ups! Hurry up boys!"

"You're a tyrant," groaned one of the boys.

"I am. Thank Drake for that, I'm just getting revenge. Now."

After the two girls had finished the laps they went and, hesitantly, poked the Tiger.

"Yes?" Drake asked. The two girls wondered if he was going to bite them.

"Shia told us to do that," Tarra said, quivering under his glare. Drake looked at his former student as she had the four boys she had been working with to do the sit-ups and had another three run two laps.

"Huh. She doesn't look too mad this time."

"What do you mean?"

"When I was teaching her and she got mad at something I had her do, she'd poke me. I'll ask her later."

The rest of the boys finished the requirements and were sent over to Drake.

"Short ones, you must now flee to archery. So long." The pages took his advice to heart and ran. "So Shia, what's wrong?"

The Dragon went and sat next to him. Slowly she said, "I spoke with my parents."

Uh-oh. "What did they say?"

"I was disowned and then we had a general fight because they said that I'm wasting my life and had ruined their name."

"What did you say?" Shit…

"I said that even if I was wasting my life, at least I was enjoying it, and that their name mustn't have been very good if me becoming the Shang Dragon ruined it." Her voice started shaking. "They said, that, that-." Her voice was shaking too hard now for her to continue.

"Yes?" Shia just shook her head and fought to keep from crying. Drake put his arm around her. After a few deep breaths, Shia had herself under control enough to continue.

"They said that I must be lying that I'm the Dragon, because I could never be the best at anything. And that no one would care if I got killed so I might as well stop pretending."

"Who said that?" demanded Kruse who had come up unnoticed. His tone was soft and deadly.

"It doesn't matter," said Shia.

"It was her parents," answered Drake. She had wanted to come back her after getting her title to see her parents. She had wanted them to forgive her for running away.

Kruse could think of several things to say about them, but held his tongue. Shia didn't want to hear it.

"Come on little girl," he said instead. "I'll show you around the palace so you don't get lost."

Shia's mouth twitched at the joke and followed him. Drake went to go talk with some friends, irritated.

"What are you doing?" asked Jon.

"Wondering if I should draw a map for our favorite directionally challenged Dragon," sighed the Wyvern.

"That won't help," muttered Shia.

"What do you mean?" asked Thayet. Shia's face turned bright red and Kruse laughed.

"You know you want to tell them," said Kruse.

"No I don't," snapped Shia.

Kruse grinned. "She can't tell left from right."

"Yes I can. Uhh, that ways right."

"Moving on. So it's easy for her to get lost. When we were coming here I didn't let her go off on her own, else I'd have to go find her." The king and queen laughed.

"It's not funny!" Shia snapped. "After I'd passed the Ordeal, I had to live a year on my own, and I came back two weeks late because I kept getting lost." The king and queen were laughing o hard they had tears in their eyes. The Dragon, as sure of herself as she was, had direction problems.


	3. Chapter 3

**Yeah, it's short. just didn't want to let any one think i'd forgotten about this story. and i've got writters block...**

"Hi, Kel," Shia said.

"Morning," greeted Kel with a yawn. She was out here with her glaive. Shia eyed it with interest.

"May I try a bit?" Shia asked. She liked the pole arm. She would have to get one some time.

"Under one condition." The Dragon looked at the knight and Kel gave a slight smile. "You give me some tips in hand-to-hand fighting."

"Sure." In Shia's mind, she was getting the better deal, but whatever.

After going through the dance she'd already learned, and Kel teaching her another, Shia stopped to help Kel.

"Just come at me like we're going to fight," Shia instructed after the glaive had been set down. Kel nodded and obeyed the order. She tried to hit the Dragon, but Shia kept dodging, watching Kel intently. She maneuvered so that Kel used almost everything she knew from both as a knight and what she learned as a child. Finally Shia called a halt. Kel was envious, she was sweating and Shia didn't even look out of breath.

"Well, you're good at what you know. You're slow, and a bit rough when changing positions, so we can work on speed."

_Two hours and a lot of bruises later_

Kel dropped onto her bed. "Owww," she moaned.

"What's wrong?" asked Dom as he followed her into their rooms. They had gotten married earlier that year and Dom had to quit the Own, but he didn't mind much.

"The Dragon is a ruthless teacher. Ugh." Kel pushed herself off the bed and went to take a bath. Dom winced as he saw the bruises.

"Why did she hit you?" Kel wasn't stupid enough to get into a fight with the Dragon, was she?

"Shia's definition of 'training' involves getting hit over and over in the same spot until you learn to change whatever you are doing wrong. I have no idea how anyone survives Shang training."

"And you thought knight training was hard," chuckled Dom. "But you were going against the best of the best."

"I was surprised with Shia. She knows that she's the best in Shang, but she isn't sure that she's the best fighter anywhere. And she wants to learn more."

"A lot of us want to learn how to fight better," pointed out Dom. "If she's willing to become the Dragon, she loves what she does. If someone could beat you with that pig-sticker of yours, you would ask for tips. If someone could perform a spell better then Master Numair, he would ask for help."

"Yes," said Kel with a smile.

Shia watched intently as two knights jousted. "What are those?" she asked Kruse.

"Lances. You need special horses, saddles, then armor and shields to joust. No you may not try," he added as she opened her mouth.

"Why not?"

"You do realize that you sound like a child who can't have any more candy, right? Because as stupid and reckless as you are, I'm not letting you risk getting injured jousting."

"But I could get injured fighting any other way!"

"Shia, if you get hurt any other way, most likely it won't be any worse then a cut. If you get injured jousting, the damage might not ever be fixed. Besides, you don't have a horse, and it takes a while to learn. And as eager as you are to learn, anyone willing to get you a horse to use, teach you, get you the rest of the equipment, isn't going to agree to work with you 12 hours straight, a day, until you leave. Now, I was sent to look for you because several people wish to talk with you."

"Let me gag first. I've had to talk with a bunch of people here. A lot of them are so boring. Most of them don't shut up about themselves, and I don't want to listen to them!" But she followed him inside.

Kruse thought about what she had just said. When was the last time he had heard her brag about herself? She would put herself down, admit her faults, and when asked about her elf, would give an absolutely neutral answer. She knew she was best the best in the Shang, and was proud of that fact. She also admitted to losing to him and that there could be others better then her.

He smiled and shook his head. He didn't like to brag much either, and most of the best fighters he'd me didn't brag. Maybe that just didn't come with the fighting skill.

**R&R please and with any luck i'll get around to this again soon**


	4. Chapter 4

**Nice, short, but not important really. **

**Sorry to Kate of Carlay, Kel wants to, but does think about her own skin at times.**

"Kel?"

"Yes?"

"Can you teach me to joust?"

Pause. "What will Kruse say to me?"

"He doesn't have to know. Please?"

"Shia, there is no way on the earth that I will risk Kruse's wrath to teach you how to joust, when you can already beat almost anyone else on the planet at anything else."

"That's what Lord Wyldon said."

"You asked him?"

"And Lord Raoul. I heard they were the best, followed closely by you, so I asked them."

"Are you picky about who you ask to teach you?"

"Um, I went to Numair to tell me how to avoid different spells, and Alanna knew some tricks I didn't about using the sword. Does that count?"

"Yes."

"Oh, then I guess I am. I also got Princess Shinko and Yuki to teach me how to use that fan, the one with a blade."

"Umm. Well. Why don't we go to supper?"

"Alright."

Since Kel followed Shia into the dinning area for the meal, the mix of feelings on her face that the mask didn't completely cover was well understood. Roald had already arrived with his tail still between his legs.


	5. Chapter 5

**Nice and short. sorry, but i probably won't update again for a while so i can concentrate on 'a shapeshifter and a hedge witch'. cookies to those of you who stay with this story**

"Are you sure you have to leave?" asked Kel. Shia finished packing and smiled at her friend.

"I'll be back, and I'll write. But I want to go to the Copper Isles for a bit. Then I'll go to the Yamani isles before coming back here. This won't be the last time you see me. I just want to travel some, and I have to drag Kruse along, else I'll just get lost."

"She would too." Drake was leaning against the door frame and Kel was sitting on the bed. Shia stuck her tongue out at her old teacher, stood with the saddle bag over her shoulder and gave a last look around.

The trio went down to the stables where Kruse already was saddling his own horse. Shia followed suit and put the saddle bag on the pack horse. She checked for the letters she'd been asked to deliver for the Pirate's Swoop family to their daughter, and nodded. She'd already said her good-byes that morning. So she mounted up, waved to Kel and Drake, and nodded to Kruse, who led the way through the city to the road they would take to get to Port Caynn.

"Papa," asked Princess Lianne as she and her father watched the Sang warriors leave. "Why aren't the Shang under anyone's control?"

Jon looked at his daughter. "Some day, that will become apparent."

Kruse and his student rode in silence for a bit, Shia lost in thought. Then she glanced behind her.

"What is it?" asked Kruse, also looking behind them.

"I don't know." Shia bit her lip. "But I have a feeling like we should stay. Like, oh I don't know." She turned around. "I'm probably just imagining things."

Kruse shook his head. "Gut feelings aren't usually wrong. So either you'll figure it out, or it'll come bite you in the rear."

Shia nodded. "Yeah, I guess so. C'mon, let's race."

They rode for the rest of the day, passing some people going to the capital, and a group of Riders. Nothing suspicious. But Shia just got more and more uneasy. It was hard for her to get to sleep that night. And when she did manage, the sleep was uneasy. Finally in the morning it was too much.

"I want to go back," she said once Kruse was awake. "Now."

They broke camp and raced back to the capital. Kruse didn't argue because, for all her lousy sense of direction, Shia knew when something was going to happen. Kruse didn't lead them through the city, but instead took them through a path in the forest. If there was something up at the castle, he didn't want to give more of a heads-up then he could avoid.

Twenty steps, four knives and two drawn bows later, the Shang warriors had a scared boy of about ten quivering under their gazes.

"Why did you try to stop us like that?" asked Kruse, his voice not harsh enough to scare the boy any more.

The boy answered, his voice shaking, "I was sent by the king to get you two. There's been an attack on the palace and no one allowed to leave. They're threatening to kill the king and take his throne."

Kruse and Shia looked at each other. Shia had known something bad had happened, but she hadn't expected this! Kruse looked back at the boy.

"Go someplace safe. Here," he gave the boy some money. "You'll hear when it's safe to return."

He and Shia mounted as they boy ran off. "Let's go bash in a few heads," said Shia.


	6. Chapter 6

Shia shifted slightly to keep her leg from falling asleep, though it probably already was. Yeah, her leg was definitely asleep. Kruse glanced over at her and his mouth twitched at the look on her face. He looked down again at the court and invaders. The two of them had already taken out the guards out here and were waiting to see what should be done.

_We don't normally do things like this, _Kruse had explained. _We aren't tied to any government, so we don't fight the wars for, with, of against them. It wouldn't be fair really. But I think we can make an exception once or twice a century. Your predecessor sure did and earned himself a name for it._

Shia strung her bow and knocked an arrow. Kruse did like wise. He motioned to aim for the leaders of the attack.

Four arrows later the two Shang warriors were leaving. Kruse led her down to the main entrance for the throne room.

"Ready to make the biggest entrance of the year?" he asked as he handed her a sword.

Shia managed to get a reckless grin in place. "Sounds like fun," she joked, but Kruse could see how scared she was.

"You'll be fine. Just let any mages and fighters that you can free. I'll cover you."

XxX

Kel kept her mask in place as she watched four of the rebels go down with arrows in their throats. She figured that Shia and Kruse had gotten the message.

This was humiliating, losing and being tied up like this. Judging by the look on Alanna's face, she shared the same opinion. And none of them could even sneeze without one of the royal family being killed.

It was Princess Lianne who wasn't scared. She had a sixth sense, and knew something was going to happen in their favor. But she didn't know what.

XxX

"Excuse me. Are we interrupting?" asked Kruse.

Can't imagine, thought Alanna.

"Kill them."

Lianne fought to keep her stomach down as she got a very clear answer as to why the Shang warriors were bound to no country.

Shia didn't stay still very long at any given time, flowing from one move to another. At one point she only got blood all over her hand when she missed a punch to someone's face and only hit his armor. Very colorful words followed that.

At the end, Shia was just helping tie up the rebels and…

"Quickly, get a healer!"

Shia only registered being on her back with pain shooting through her. She managed to look down enough to see a sword in her. She realized that she had been stabbed through the lung. As the healer rushed over to her, she grabbed his arm.

"Listen, if I won't be able to fight again, just let me die," she whispered.

The healer nodded. "All right." He put a sleep spell on the girl. All the best healers would try to keep her alive. Kruse helped carry her to the infirmary. The sword had been broken with magic so there wasn't as much sticking out of her. Kruse was kicked out as they started to work on her. He went back to the throne room to finish up there.

XxX

Shia stared at the ceiling. She was being a good girl. Eating as instructed, not pushing herself. Not strangling everyone who spoke to her.

She was alive and had a god chance of making a more or less full recovery if she behaved. But Mithros it was hard. People were surprised she had even survived, but she wasn't the Shang Dragon for only her fighting skills. Alanna had said to her 'a bone deep determination comes with the title I guess'.

It had been nice to hear that.


End file.
